A huge black bear wandered into a residential area in Alligator Point, Florida. Wildlife officers knew they would have to remove the bear quickly, but this is where things went terribly wrong.
The safest and easiest way to remove the bear from the residential area would be to tranquilize and relocate it.
But the dart made the bear panic and it headed toward the ocean.
As he swam into to Gulf, he became drowsy and started to drown.
Adam Warwick, a biologist with the Wildlife Commission, saw what was going on and knew he had to do something.
He swam to the bear and stopped it from advancing.
“It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I had a lot of adrenaline pumping when I saw the bear in the water.”
The bear came at Adam to try and stay afloat on top of him. But the bears legs were becoming too weak.
He grabbed the bear by the scruff of the neck keeping its head above water.
Adam stayed calm and didn’t give up.
He then dragged the 400 lb bear about 25 yards to land!
Here they are finally making their way out of the water.
At this point, other team members came to help.
They were able to use a tractor bucket to lift the bear and transport it back to its home in the Osceola National Forest.
The bear was now safe and sound. Call me crazy, but I think that’s a look of appreciation on his face.
This is more like it! He’s happy to be home.
I’m exhausted just reading this! I can’t imagine holding its head above water and dragging it back to land. What a hero!